(Tallahassee, FL)  Wednesday, March 12, 2008 Ben Stein stood with Florida Family Policy Council President John Stemberger along with science teachers, legislators and experts to support the Academic Freedom bill which would protect teachers who criticize Darwinian evolution with relevant and objective scientific evidence.   To a packed press room, Ben Stein made the case for freedom of speech and the ability for public school teachers to be able to discuss the full range of scientific evidence related to biological and chemical evolution.  

Stemberger in his opening statement respectfully challenged the media to report this story in a fair and accurate manner limiting their reporting to the "four corners of the text of the bill itself," rather than critics' claims about the bill.  He added, "I have never, ever in my two decades of ... social activism seen more hostility, more mischaracterization, more intellectual dishonesty, more just bad faith from our opponents than in this issue of challenging Darwinism," he said.  Stemberger characterized dogmatic evolutionists as "religious, hard core, Darwinists" who "stand in the shoes of the Flat Earth Society refusing to hear the voices of Galileo... ."  

Already, the deliberate misrepresentation and inaccuracies are being seen.  Carol Lee, a reporter with the Sarasota Herald Tribune who was at the press event reported that "...bills were filed in both the Senate and House making it clear that teachers are allowed to teach creationism in class..."  Stemberger e-mailed Lee asking her to make the correction arguing using the word creationism was just flat wrong and she responded, "I read the bill, I was at the press conference, the statement was accurate."   Stemberger said that "While there many outstanding and professional reporters in the Florida press corps, this is exhibit A of the kind of bias, hostility and dishonesty many members of the media have shown on this issue." 

The bill by its own language would only allow "objective and relevant scientific evidence" relating to evolution and would not allow the teaching of "alternate theories" or "intelligent design" much less creationism.  Teachers are still required to teach the dogmatic evolution curriculum but this bill would allow free criticism of evolution. 

Nathan Dunn, Vice President of the Florida Family Policy Council who operates the Tallahassee office has asked supporters of this bill to stand by for future e-mails by the FFPC to know which legislators to call and contact once this matter is referred to committees.  

FFPC President, John Stembeger's statement 
http://www.flfamily.org/uploadfile/2008%20-%20upload/Statement%20of%20John%20Stemberger.pdf

NEWS CLIPS:

Herald Tribune

* Photo Courtesy of Florida Baptist Witness